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After decades of fronting Long Island-based metal band Twisted Sister – sporting giant, frizzy golden locks, blue eye shadow and bright red lipstick – and stints on reality TV shows such as “The Celebrity Apprentice,” “Celebrity Wife Swap,” “MTV Cribs” and his family-centered reality show “Growing Up Twisted” on A& E, the 57-year-old contends that by now he's heard it all.

On Thursday, friends, colleagues and family members will join a ragtag dais of celebrities and musicians to honor Snider's career by roasting him at the 2nd Annual Revolver and Guitar World Rock & Roll Roast at City National Grove of Anaheim.

Magician and comedian Penn Jillette, who also starred on Snider's season of “Celebrity Apprentice,” will serve as roastmaster for the evening. Rocker Lita Ford, Anthrax's Scott Ian, WWE legend Mick Foley, “That Metal Show” host Eddie Truck and comics Jim Norton and Jim Florentine, along with last year's roastee and Black Label Society leader Zakk Wylde, will be on hand to share humiliating stories.

“It's less offensive when your friends make fun of you,” Snider says during a phone interview. “These guys are friends of mine so I can take all of this in stride. My son Shane, he's a comedian as well so he'll be on the dais, too, roasting me. When it's close friends and family you don't take too much of it to heart, but if complete strangers start tearing into you that hurts a little.”

Snider will have his opportunity to fire back at the end of the show. He's been hard at work with the help of several comics to put together a well-crafted response to those hurling insults his way. “They have to remember, I know a lot about them too,” he says. “I get up to bat last so anything you say can and will be used against you.”

His family, including his wife of nearly 32 years Suzette and children Jesse, Shane, Cody and Cheyenne, will also be in attendance. Snider said his wife is concerned about some of the brutal insults spilling over onto her, though he's assured her that the shots will be aimed directly at him.

“She's really dreading it,” he says with a cynical laugh. “She says she's going to get a T-shirt that says ‘It's not my fault.' ”

As the inaugural Rock & Roll roastee, Wylde says he's confident that Snider can handle being ripped to shreds on stage. Wylde endured multiple jabs from his buddies, including Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour, WWE star and musician Chris Jericho and the person he lovingly refers to as “mom,” Sharon Osbourne, who also served as roastmaster for the event.

“There's nothing to say that should hurt Snider,” he says. “I mean, he's been in the business for how long? The minute you step into this world, it's a plethora of comedy. He'll be up there dying laughing, too, man. It just goes to show how much people really do care about you in a very sick and twisted way.”

Recently named one of Revolver Magazine's 100 Greatest Living Rock Stars, Snider says he's more than ready to partake in this playful ribbing and comments about his long and rather colorful career. He joined Twisted Sister in 1976, and the group's 1984 album “Stay Hungry” spawned the band's most successful hits, “We're Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock.” Since then, Twisted Sister continued to tour off and on and Snider explored other avenues, including writing and starring in the 1998 horror flick “Strangeland,” joining “Rock of Ages” on Broadway in 2010 and releasing two solo albums. His autobiography, “Shut Up and Give Me the Mic,” was published last year.

“I envisioned becoming a rock star, getting married, having some kids, being rich and famous and then happily ever after,” he says. “I didn't plan anything past 35. I had no idea I'd be on reality TV. I never would have imagined this.”

Now, Snider says he's got a lot on his plate. He signed on to be part of “The Celebrity Apprentice” all-star cast alongside Stephen Baldwin, Omarosa Manigualt, Trace Adkins, Gary Busey, Latoya Jackson, Lil‘ Jon, Bret Michaels and more. The show premieres March 3 on NBC, and Mrs. Snider is also looking at the possibility of her own reality show.

“We've done so many of those shows as a family,” he says. “Suzette is becoming well known now and production companies want to develop a reality show around her without me. I'm totally cool with it, I was like ‘Go for it, babe, and I'll cash the checks.' It's so weird, but she's such a passionate character. Me, I'm a stage performer and an actor so off stage I'm kind of just blah.”

The roast serves as a kick-off party to the annual NAMM Convention this weekend at the Anaheim Convention Center and is not open to the public. The show will air on AXS TV (
axs.tv) at 9 p.m., and proceeds from the evening will benefit the nonprofit group MusiCares.

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